The RNG Weekly Vol 1
by Lex Complex
Summary: You have chosen to subscribe to The RNG Weekly, the leading publication in all things Fire Emblem. This issue's theme is "Trope Scope", an analysis of the various types of characters found in the series, featuring works of fiction written by a fan for the fans. MASTER SEAL NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SUBSCRIPTION. (Stories will cover FE6-13 characters; Chapter 1 is FE 7)


A.N.1: Hey there. To expound upon the summary, each chapter deals with a recurring character theme found in at least two Fire Emblem games. After presenting the theme, I will feature one character that falls under that category, and then I'll proceed with a story centered around said character, which can range from a short drabble to a full one-shot. The games covered here are FE 6-13 ("Sword of Seals" up to "Awakening"), although I probably won't be doing 11 or 12 that much.

Seeing as this is my first Fire Emblem entry (and hopefully not the last), constructive criticisms will be greatly appreciated, especially in terms of characterization. No flames please; I have low RES and the humblest Fire tome will kill me. :D

**-o-o-o-**

THEME: Skirt Chaser

DESCRIPTION: The kind of character that Lon'qu will _never_ be—one who hits on all the girls or is easily bewitched by beauty. Examples include Gatrie from FE 9 & 10 and Saul from FE 6.

FEATURED CHARACTER: Sain, the "green cavalier" and a knight of Caelin from Fire Emblem 7.

ABOUT THIS CHAPTER: This is loosely based on his A-support with Priscilla, which I think showed a more sentimental side to him that wasn't highlighted much in the game.

**-o-o-o-**

It was the first time in a long while that he found himself alone, leaning against the mast of Fargus' ship as it sailed away from the Dread Isle. With the Nergal issue safely behind them, the group could finally return to their lives, which should've made him happy; however, for reasons that eluded him, it did not. And it occurred to him how much he had forgotten how it felt to be alone. He usually had Kent by his side, but perhaps those 'dating' lessons he imparted on his partner worked a little too well—now the red-haired cavalier and the plainswoman of Sacae were inseparable.

Behind him, he could hear Captain Fargus' and Dart's voices breaking out into a shanty. He would never understand pirates and their strange expressions—what did shivering their timbers and keelhauling scallywags even mean? He could at least understand their mirth, though. Just being able to walk away with their lives was a reason for celebration, so why was something eating away at him?

"Hey, Sain," came a voice from his right.

He had been too absorbed in thought to notice anyone coming up from the quarters below. A young girl now stood beside him, barely recognizable in the simple cotton dress that was a far cry from her usual battle attire. Her green hair, usually braided in twin tails, fell freely against her back and shoulders.

"Rebecca?" he said, not bothering to hide his uncertainty.

"Just Rebecca? No 'O beauteous vision of delight' this time?"

He smiled and shifted to make room beside him. "You look lovelier than last I saw you. You should dress as such more often."

"Sain?"

"Hm?"

"You are such a pig," she teased good-naturedly.

"But I am _your_ pig, dear Rebecca."

They had grown close over the course of many battles, and Rebecca had learned Sain's woman-wooing ways was part of his unique brand of charm, as much as nobody would ever admit it out loud. The two of them remained silent for some time, Rebecca staring at the receding image of the Dread Isle far off the horizon, Sain eying the far corner of the ship where three of their comrades were gathered.

She was the one to break the silence. "You know, you haven't been smiling as much lately."

He cocked an eyebrow. "I haven't?"

"Nope. And you haven't been hitting on the other girls in this army, too. Sain not hitting on a girl is like the prelude to the end of the world or something."

The knight stifled a laugh. "I thought you disliked my... appreciation for beauty."

"That's not the point here, idiot! I—_We_ were worried about you, you know."

His smile faded as he turned his attention back to the same corner. The trio—Raven, Lucius, and Priscilla—looked as though they were stargazing. Or at least the latter two were. The swordsman leaned against the rails, his back against the sky, only occasionally turning when his sister tried to point out a constellation. She smiled at him with such delight, no doubt happy to finally be heading home with her long-lost sibling. Of course, Sain couldn't have known they were related. He just saw two people happy in each other's company. He felt an odd sensation course through him; it wasn't so much as jealousy as it was sadness.

"What do you plan on doing now that everything's over?"

The question came so suddenly that it took her a while to process it. "Oh, me? Um… I guess I'll go back home. My father never really wanted me to join this fight anyway."

"I see. Everyone's going their separate ways, aren't they?"

She didn't know how to respond to something like that. It was only natural; they had known their ragtag army's life would only last as long as the fight against Nergal. Why make a big deal out of it now, she wondered. But she didn't say it out loud; Sain already sounded far too sad. Was there somebody he couldn't say goodbye to? More importantly, was it her?

More silence passed between them. Fargus and Dart's singing ended and the captain soon retreated to his quarters, leaving the young man in charge of the ship. Not long after, Raven passed them by with a scowl on his face, Lucius close behind him.

"Lord Raven!" the monk called out.

"Don't speak to me, Lucius. You're supposed to be the older one and yet…"

Rebecca couldn't suppress a laugh. She had cooked lunches for Raven on many occasions; he'd often talk about the monk as if he disdained his company, but she knew (perhaps better than Raven himself) that he cared about Lucius more than he was letting on. She also knew their little argument would be a thing of the past once the evening blows over. Sain's melancholy, however, didn't look as though it would pass as quickly.

As Priscilla made her way back, she briefly stopped to regard them, her eyes lingering on Sain. The moonlight cast shadows upon her face, emphasizing the somber expression she wore. Had it not been only minutes ago that she smiled with youthful vigor? He returned her gaze, needing no words to tell her what had been occupying his mind as of late—a conversation they had not too long ago, the gist of it being:

"_But... When this journey ends, you will leave, correct?"_

Neither said a word and soon Priscilla had disappeared below the deck, back to the room she shared with Serra. Sain had a hunch she wouldn't get more sleep than he would, but whether it was because of thoughts of their fleeting time together or because of the fact that _Serra_ was the roommate in question, he didn't know.

"Is staring longingly into someone's eyes your new way of flirting?" Rebecca asked.

"Huh? What? No! I mean—"

"Which is it?"

"I wasn't flirting with her. I wouldn't. Not when my beautiful vision of delight is right beside me!" He made to inch closer to her but was stopped by an elbow to his ribs.

"Sain, you pig!"

She hit him again for good measure then stormed off toward her room. Sain knew she wasn't mad, though. Spending enough time with her had made him able to distinguish between an angry Rebecca and a bashful Rebecca. If anything, he might even claim she was somewhat happy.

Sain sighed. As much as the archer had made him feel better, chances were he still wouldn't be able to talk to Priscilla, and they would probably part the same way they did tonight—silent stares and heavy hearts—but perhaps that was the lesser of two pains. Sometimes, words only made things complicated. "Goodbye" sounded too final, and "Later" too wishful; what was he supposed to say then?

Oh, right. There was always "Thank you."

**-o-o-o-**

A.N.2: It's funny how FE supports sometimes make you feel like the game's one big dating sim, especially in Awakening where you can even marry a character. XD

I guess this is the part where I tell you "Please leave a review, if you don't mind." Not that I'm the type who obsesses over review count; I just want to know how I did. If you have suggestions for future themes or requests for character appearances, I'm open to anything and I'll see what I can do.

Well then, see ya next time, if there's a next time. I hope there's a next time. :p


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